Feeding apparatus for steam-boilers.



No. 801,906. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905. W. J. PIGKERING.

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.11. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 iii'gnl.

No. 801,906. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905. W. J. PIGKERING.

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED OGT.11,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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FEEDING APPARATUS FOR STEAM-BOILERS.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed October 11 1904. Serial No. 228,024.

To It wit/mt it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J os EIH PICK- ERING, a subject of His Majesty King Edward VII of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Bickenhill, Hampton-in-Arden, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding Apparatus for Steam-Boilers, (for which 1 have applied for a patent in Great Britain, No. 23,027, bearing date October 24, 1903,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide new and improved means for feeding steam-boilers automatically by the use and application of certain arrangements whereby the said steam-boilers are fed by gravitation under steam-pressure, said apparatus also acting as a medium for softening the water in the boiler, and so reducing the accumulation of scale; and my invention is an improvement intended to apply especially in cases where the water-supply to the boiler, such as a tank or other source, is situated below the boiler, so that the water required to be supplied to the steam-boiler is elevated from the supply source, or in some cases the supply may be taken from the top tank entirely.

Referring to the drawings, which form a part ofthis specification, Figure 1 is a front view of my apparatus complete. Fig. 2 is an end view of a part of the apparatus with the cylindrical tank open, so as to expose the interior iittings. Fig. 3 is an elevation of slidevalve I employ with outline of steam-cylinder. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the valvechamber. Fig. 5 is a cover-plate for same.

The steam-boiler hereinafter referred to is not shown on the accompanying drawings for sake of convenience; but from the description it will be clearly understood that it is placed approximately below the two upper tanks and above the third or lower tank or water-supply where required.

For my purposel employ three tanks A B C. The two tanks A B are situated the one above the other, the top one A being open and the other one B being closed and preferably of cylindrical form. The upper tank A rests upon the end plates to b of the tank B or is placed at a higher level the one tank relative to the other. Both are situated above or near to the steam-boiler and at a higher position relative to the water in the boiler.

The bottom tank 0 is open and contains the water-supply to the boiler, which is drawn up by means of a vacuum created in the closed cylindrical tank B, brought about by the injection of a small quantity of cold water from the upper tank A. The cold water from the upper tank A coming in contact with the heat remaining. in the closed tank B, the actual pressure having previously been released through the pipes T, J, and J hereinafter referred to, the vacuum is created, and in order to carry this into effect I provide a valve D in the upper tank A, which is in connection with the end of the supply-pipe E, leading from the upper tank A to the lower tank B. This valve D is operated by an arm H, with adjustable balance-weight H, said arm working on a fulcrum H and supported by a bracket H connected to the main bracket G of the valve and valve-seating D D. The arm H is connected to the valve-spindle I by a link or otherwise I, and which arm, with its weight, is heavy enough to keep the valve D open until drawn down by the power of the suction in the lower closed tank B. In some cases where the lift is great and the lower water-supply hot it is necessary to have a pinhole through the valve 1). The weight H can be regulated on the arm as required as to position.

As stated, the water-supply is situated below the boiler, and the feed-pipe J, which also acts as an exhaust-pipe, is carried directly down from the under side of the tap or slidevalve K to the tank C or other source of supply below the boiler and is provided with a silencer. Preferably I divide the supply to the feed-pipe J by means of a T-piece J, attached to same, situated near to the slide-tap K and connected to two pipes J 2 J which'are continued down into the tank (1, as previously described. The pipe J 2 is fitted with a checkvalve M at its foot, with an upward flow. The pipe J isfitted with a check-valve M, with a downward flow, and is situated next the T- piece J, and the end of the pipe J is provided with a silencer N. The check-valve E,

in connection with the pipe E, is for the purpose of preventing the water or steam returning to the upper tank.

As will be understood, the steam-pipe O, a fragment only of which is shown, leaves the boiler at the required water-level and enters the closed cylindrical tank B by way of the three-way slide tap or valve K, which I will now describe. This three-way slide tap or valve K is similar in action to the steam-chest of an ordinary double-action steam-cylinder and works in direct communication with cylinder P. The three-way slide-tap consists, first, of a rectangular chamber 1, within which are two port-holes 2 and 3. A slide 4 works upon a ledge 5 in said chamber, the slide being connected to and operated by the piston-rod S of the double-action cylinder P. The two port-holes 2 and 3 are in connection with the pipes T and J of the apparatus in the order named. The port-hole 3, leading to the pipe J, is always covered by the slide 4; but the port-hole 2, leading to the pipe T, is alternately open to the steam, which enters from the pipe 0 and passes through to the pipe T. The pipe Ois attached at 6 through the cover-plate 7 of the chamber 1, or the port-hole 2 is covered by the slide 4:, which throws said port-hole 2 into communication with the pipe J in a similar manner as the steam-ports are alternately connected with the exhaust-pipe in the steam-chest of a steam-cylinder. The steam-cylinder P and slide valve K work horizontally upon the front of the tank B and cooperate with the several pipes, floats, valves, and other fittings of the apparatus. The threeway slide tap or valve K is operated and reversed by means of the double-action cylinder P, which is regulated by the automatic action of a porcelain float Q, situated inside the closed tank B, the balance-weight R being attached on the outside end of the spindle S, which carries it and which is in connection with the rod P.

A cushion-chamber P, composed of two spiral springs P on the end of the piston with block in between, is provided on the opposite side of the cylinder P relative to the tap K to prevent the piston in the cylinder P from liznocking against the ends of the said cylin- T is the main steam-pipe leading from the slide-valve K to the cylindrical tank B.

The steam-pipe T is a small supply of steam required to work the cylinder P and may be supplied from the boiler or other suitable source. The pipe T, which may or may not be carried down to the bottom of tank A, as shown, is the exhaust from the cylinder P.

O is the feed-pipe to boiler.

The apparatus is supplied with cold water through an ordinary kind of ball-valve in the upper tank A and in a similar manner in the lower tank 0 with either hot or cold water when necessary. These ball-valves are not illustrated, but will be understood.

The action of the apparatus is thus: When the steam is turned on from the boiler, the closed tank B being already full of water by the automatic action of the ball-valve in the upper tank, the position of the float Q in the closed tank B, goverened by the balance- 7 weight R on the spindle S of connecting-rod P, will so regulate the cylinder P through the connecting-rod P that the action will open the slide-tap K between the boiler and the closed tank B. When the latter has emptied itself into the boiler through the feed-pipe O, which is provided with an air vessel 0 and which has a check-valve (not shown) situated next to the boiler to prevent steam or water returning from the boiler, the position of the float Q in connection with the cylinder P will again reverse the slide-tap K, thereby cutting off the steam from the boiler and connecting the pipes T and J, the pressure in the closed tank being relieved through the pipes TJ J The cold water in the top tank A then immediately starts to run into the closed tank B through the valves D and E and pipes E. As soon as a small quantity of water has passed a vacuum is created in the tank B. The consequent suction will draw down the valve D in the top tank A onto its seating D. The water is then sucked up from the bottom tank (l through the valve M and pipes J J, slide-tap K, and pipe T, which latter is provided with a steam spreader U. There are also other Spreaders U U in the inside of the tank B for spreading the steam over the surface of the Water. I

The object of the valve M is to keep the pipe J always full of water, thereby making the apparatus work more quickly.

Another function of the valve D to that described is to prevent the closed tank B from filling too full, since on the reversing of the slide-tap K, connecting up the steam-pipes O and T, it prevents any remaining suction in the tank B from sucking in any more water from the top tank during the few seconds that the steam is getting up its pressure.

V represents girders. supporting the apparatus, though other means of support may obviously be employed according to requirements.

The automatic Working of the feed, as above described, will continue so long as the water in the boiler is below the mouth of the steampipe in the boiler.

The action of the apparatus softens the water and reduces the amount of scale on the boiler, as by the action of the steam on the water the temporary hardness in the water is thrown down to the bottom of the boiler as sludge.

Sometimes I may require to supply the feedwater to the boiler from the top tank A, in which case the supply and exhaust pipe J is connected to the top side of the valve K at W and disconnected at W. In this case the pipe J only is used with a silencer, the pipes J and J not being required.

I do not limit myself to the precise formation and arrangement of the apparatus and its connections herein more fully described, as the same may be varied without departing from the general principle of my invention.

outlet for said water to the boiler, and means for introducing a small amount of water from the top tank to said closed tank to condense the steam and form a vacuum therein so as to draw up Water from the tank 3.

2. A boiler-feeder comprising a closed tank B, an open tank A, situated above the same, an open tank C, situated below the tank B, pipe connections between the tank B and tanks A and C, means for introducing steam into the tank B, a balanced valve D situated in tank A for controlling the flow of water from tank A to tank B so that when a vacuum is formed in tank B the remainder of the water will be drawn up from tank G into tank B, substantially as described and illustrated.

3. A boiler-feeder consisting of a closed tank B, a water-supply, a casing, means for intro ducing steam to said casing, a pipe J connecting the casing to the supply, a pipe T connecting the casing to tank B, means for alternatively putting said pipe in connection with the steam-supply and with pipe J, a float in said tank B controlling said means, and means for creating a vacuum in tank B, substantially as described.

4. A boiler-feeder comprising the tanks B and C, a casing, a steam-supply pipe thereto, a pipe T connecting said casing with the tank B, a pipe J connecting the casing with tank C, a slide 4 for alternatively putting the pipe T in communication with the steam-supply and with the pipe J, a double-acting cylinder having its piston connected to said slide, a steam-supply to said cylinder, a float in the tank B, a weight connected thereto, a connection from said float for controlling steam-supply thereto and cushion-chamber for said cylinder.

5. A boiler-feeder consisting of a closed tank B, a water-supply, means for introducing steam into tank B, a connection between said tank B and the water-supply, said connection consisting of a pipe J, and pipes J and J connected thereto, said pipes J 2 and J 3 entering the supply, valves M M on said pipes J J, asilencer on pipe J and means for alternatively drawing water to tank B through said pipes or exhausting steam therethrough, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM JOSEPH PICKERING.

Witnesses:

EDWD. BURTON PAYNE, E. PARKER. 

